An Emergency Medical Situation in Rehabilitation Medicine: Autonomic Dysreflexia

Abstract

Autonomic dysrefl exia (AD), is an acute syndrome of uncontrolled sympathetic response, secondary to a precipitant, that generally occurs in patients with injury to the spinal cord at the levels of T6 and above. Recognition of the clinical features is extremely important because, although the condition can nearly always be managed successfully, failure to do so can have dire consequences, including death. In this review we discussed the clinical features, pathophysiology, emergency treatment and prophylaxis of AD.